Making side projects your playground

Launch Diary #01: cultivating a sense of fun + focus in a passion project

In the world of the artist, maker, or writer, there’s something deeply satisfying about dedicating yourself to a creative adventure that belongs entirely to you. These passion projects—the ones that gently simmer in the background—often become the truest reflection of who we are.

Last week I was surprised and delighted to be featured in The Design Trust’s roundup of their 20 favourite newsletters for creatives. Have you joined me from there? If so, welcome!

Here at Brand Seasons, I love to explore the rhythms of our creative lives and work and as a brand designer and creative mentor, I also share guidance on strategy, styling and storytelling. I first introduced this publication in May 2023, just before the arrival of my now 15-month-old, and I’ve been writing regularly since sharing the first of my Notelets on Nurture on 27th August 2023.

So today marks a year of writing steadily on Substack, and I’m excited to begin sharing my bi-weekly launch diaries with you.

Nurturing creativity + community

Side projects offer a space for expression and experimentation that our day-to-day work seldom provides. With week one of my pre-launch for the Brand Seasons Playdeck under my belt, I’m lifting the lid on my approach to finding a sense of play and purpose.

I set a date of Monday 16th September to publish my Kickstarter campaign and allowed myself four weeks to work diligently toward it. With three weeks to go, I’m questioning if I’ve allowed myself enough time, especially after last week’s unexpected illness, which slowed things down. I chose to rest when I could and eventually started a course of antibiotics. NOT how I had envisioned week one unfolding!

But what this did mean is that I was more inwardly focused on the design of the card deck, which is coming along beautifully, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it.

“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns to look at things in a different way, painting the world in new colours.”

— Edward de Bono

Things to lean on

Reflecting on the first week of my pre-launch phase, I thought it might be helpful to focus on the less tangible things that have given me a soft place to land.

1. Bringing my community into the fold
   One of the most rewarding aspects of side projects is the opportunity to connect with others. Inviting my community to follow each step has added a layer of transparency that’s often missing from projects. And yet there’s beauty in showing that creativity is as much about the process as it is about the final product. From day one, I used my close friends list on Instagram—a great space for polls and questions—to gather feedback on printing and pricing. Choices were made, problems were solved.

2. Pacing myself with creative rest
   Working on this project over an extended period has given me a buffer to dip in and out of the creative process. But now that I’m on a timetable, I’m incorporating micro-moments of rest and play, which has left me feeling positive about the impending launch. By cushioning myself against the potential buildup of pressure, I’ve been able to approach each task with more clarity and energy. Recently, I shared a podcast episode about launching playfully and sustainably, which you might enjoy if you’re curious to learn how I’ve prepared for this stage.

Launching playfully + sustainably

Things to look forward to

In the spirit of openness, here are two things I’m excited to share because it gives you a glimpse into the planning process and gives me some accountability!

1. Creating opportunities for collaboration
   Connecting with those who care about beauty, quality and sustainability as much as I do means I’m in good hands as far as the printing of the Brand Seasons Playdeck goes. Designed to support business owners and creatives, it made complete sense for me to team up with independent suppliers and bring even more meaning to the creation of the product. Today I’m meeting with my paper supplier and I’ll also be following up with contributors to the Brand Seasons Paper, a mini zine (more on this soon) with collaboration at its heart.

2. Bringing enjoyment to engagement
   The next instalment of my launch diary will be a little more playful, as I’m sharing a quiz! I won’t reveal too much about it just yet, but let’s say it’s designed to help you uncover your brand superpower. The purpose of the quiz is to help grow my audience in advance of the main Kickstarter launch and, hopefully, drive more people to my waitlist and the campaign. But beyond that, it’s pure play. I’ve loved forming the questions and results, and hope it will lead to some interesting conversations with you.

Moodboard refresh

Revisiting my moodboard has been so much fun. I thought I’d finalised the colours and styling, but over the summer I was inspired to rethink a few elements. I felt ambitious and wanted to push the boundaries with the packaging and figure out how to enhance the deck with letterpress printing. It’s a technique I adore so I'm happy to be having some finishing done on an antique press. She has been in service for over a century!

Having some distance from the project gave me the fresh perspective I needed to make this into something even more beautifully handcrafted. The styling will be simple, with the subtle impressions adding a more tangible feel.

Member resources

A moodboard-making task for paid members of my community is also available in Chat and Resources. So whether you’re working on your brand, writing a book, or tackling a completely different project, I hope you find joy in crafting your vision!

Are you interested in learning more about how Brand Seasons can support you? I’d love to welcome you to my membership. Whether you’re working on a business or a project, you can nurture it with access to my strategy, styling and storytelling resources. Coming up we have articles on choosing a colour palette and selecting typography. PLUS, you’ll be invited to this season’s workshop on Substack styling.

Join the waitlist to be the first to know when the Brand Seasons Playdeck launches!

Do you have any creative endeavours in the works, or have you launched something you’re particularly proud of? I’d love to know.